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| - I have such mixed feelings about this new movie theater. A lot of what UltraStar presents itself as is good in theory, but doesn't quite work out well for the customer in execution. There's a lot of up sides to it, yet there are also so many downsides, too.
My girlfriend and I went to see the new "Harry Potter" last night. Ticket prices for a regular film at UltraStar are a pretty fair deal at $9.75. Not only is the price on par with other theater chains in the valley, but this theater uses a pure digital projector and audio system. The picture and sound quality is way above any Harkins or AMC I've been to. The seats are also big and comfortable and recline pretty far for a movie theater seat. The leather is also a nice touch.
We decided to see the movie with Star-Class service since that's one of the features that's supposed to set UltraStar apart from the others. Little did we know until we got to the theater was that the service is an extra $2 per ticket. For that $2, you get seat side food service. That again is better in theory. The Servers only come before the movie starts, and the theater is regular size, so if it's packed you may end up not getting anything from a server at all. To get this service you also have to be 21 and over. They do serve beer and wine, but the price is a rip off. I paid $7.25 for a Kiltlifter that couldn't have been the size of a normal 12 ounce bottle. Even concert and sports venues don't rip you off that badly. I also had the hummus and pita chips from UltraStar's premium concessions. It's the same hummus and pita chips you can buy at Costco. I know I'm going to overpay at a movie theater, but that was ridiculous. The only real plus I think there is for paying for this extra "luxury" is knowing that there aren't going to be any kids in the theater being too loud or crying during the movie.
The staff is very friendly. We arrived pretty early (about a half hour before the movie), our theater wasn't ready to be seated in, so the "concierge" gave us a little tour of the facility. Showing us the premium theater, which is a lot smaller, but the seats looked very big and comfortable, and it had a suite. Seemed like a cool place to have a private party for a movie. A manager then kindly found us and told us that our theater was ready. The theater itself was way too dark premovie. It was lit only enough to see what was just in front of you. Not very friendly for a place with service where I was trying to read a menu. Fortunately, the server had a small light to give me so I could see it.
UltraStar is also another establishment that doesn't accept American Express. It's my card of choice, and while I understand why small businesses can't afford to pay its fees, I am not a fan of chains that won't.
I highly recommend this theater for its presentation. If you're just planning to see a movie and not have any of the "premium" concessions or services, it's the best theater in the area. But if you were hoping the "luxuries" were going to add to the experience, I'd advise you to stay away.
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